ARA Foundation Donates $6,000 to American Red Cross
Relief for California Wildfires and West Virginia Flooding

The ARA Foundation, the charitable arm of the American Rental Association, has continued to provide donations for disaster relief, this month giving to the American Red Cross for fire and flood relief.

Earlier this month, the American Rental Association Foundation donated $6,000 to the American Red Cross.

The donation will be split equally between first responder efforts for wildfires in California and for flooding in West Virginia.

"A primary initiative of the ARA Foundation is disaster relief. The ARA Foundation board of trustees recognizes the seriousness of the loss of human life and the devastation of lives and property," says Christine Wehrman, ARA Foundation executive director.

On June 23, a wildfire broke out in the Lake Isabella Area of Kern County, Calif. It burned over 48,000 acres (about 75 square miles) before its containment on July 9. Two fatalities were confirmed, and according to one report, more than 250 structures were destroyed.

On the same date, eight to 10 inches of rain fell in West Virginia in the span of just a few hours, causing the deadliest flash flood event in the U.S. since May 2010. There were at least 23 fatalities, and there are still some people unaccounted for. At least 1,200 homes were destroyed in the flooding.

"We have two natural disasters happening on both sides of the country that have caused loss of life and property. Many in the industry who live in these areas have stepped up to assist however they can, and their continued efforts are needed. The ARA Foundation wants to support their efforts," says Elizabeth Wilson, CERP, president of All Occasions Event Rental in Cincinnati and trustee-at-large on the ARA Foundation board.

"I feel it's a privilege and an honor that those in the industry entrust us on the ARA Foundation board of trustees with their donations. They expect that we will allocate these funds prudently. There is no question that both of these donations are very worthy and important. They demonstrate how the ARA Foundation is ready to lend support where it is needed," she says.

In May the Foundation also donated $3,000 to the Canadian Red Cross for relief from the fires in the Fort McMurray area.